Renee Fajardo

Renee Fajardo (born 1958) is an author, educator, and activist in Denver, Colorado. She is currently a faculty in Chicano Studies at Metropolitan State University Denver. She is the mother of author Kali Fajardo-Anstine.

Biography Elizabeth Renee Fajardo was born to parents in Denver, Colorado. She grew up in Curtis Park at her grandparents' house, before her family moved north into Adams County. Her parents divorced when she was young and they shared custody of Fajardo and her brother.

She has Chicana/Native American, Filipino, and Jewish heritage.

At 8 years old, Fajardo's family moved to Adams County in an all-white neighborhood. Fajardo faced racist backlash from her neighbors which resulted in the murder of her kittens. The family moved after that incident, and it influenced Fajardo's future anti-racist work.

Fajardo and Carl Ruby co-created the Tummy Tales books, a series of children's books that explore culture through food. Fajardo worked with photographer Todd Pierson to recognize and celebrate women in the southwest that nurtured and supported their communities. Corn Mothers exhibit originally opened in 2009, and "Return of the Corn Mothers" opened in 2022, adding 22 more honorees.

Fajardo was the niece of Lucy Lucero.